Oliver McManus Manchester’s AO Arena plays host to a triple-header of European title fights on Saturday night with Joshua Buatsi nominally headlining in a
Joshua Buatsi defends his WBA International Light Heavyweight title against Daniel Blenda Dos Santos in Manchester on Saturday
Joshua Buatsi heads a card at the AO Arena in Manchester this Saturday night, as he makes a sixth defence of his WBA International Light Heavyweight title against France’s Daniel Blenda Dos Santos over a scheduled ten rounds on Sky Sports in the UK and DAZN internationally.
The bill was due to be topped by WBC and IBO boss, Terri Harper’s bid to become unified Super Featherweight champion against WBA champion Hyun Mi Choi, but Harper was forced to withdraw with a hand injury just over a week away from fight night.
Disaster strikes Josh Warrington, while Zelfa Barrett is fortunate
Josh Warrington’s return to the ring goes horribly wrong against rank outsider Mauricio Lara and some controversial cards blight the undercard. Declan Taylor reports from ringside at Wembley Arena
BOXING returned to these shores for the first time in 2021 but the drama served up inside the empty Wembley Arena late on Saturday night (February 13) is unlikely to be topped before the year is up.
Josh Warrington, the previously undefeated No.1 featherweight in the world, was dropped and stopped by unheralded Mexican
Mauricio Lara who made a mockery of his 10/1 odds to produce one of the bigger upsets seen in a British ring in decades.
Josh Warrington was defeated but humble in defeat to Mauricio Lara. Photo Credit: Matchroom Boxing
Josh Warrington saw his plans for Featherweight domination lie in tatters, as he suffered a first defeat in 31 fights, with Mauricio Lara scoring a highlight reel shock ninth round knockout win at the SSE Arena, Wembley.
The fight topped the bill of the first UK Boxing show of 2021. Warrington was coming off a 16 month layoff, and had given up his IBF Featherweight title in order to pursue the big names of the division.
Firstly though, he had to see off the challenge of 22 year old Lara, who wasn’t expected to pose too many problems for him.
Josh Warrington v Mauricio Lara highlights: Leeds Warrior in shock stoppage after brutal fight
The 30-year-old featherweight boxer from Leeds returns to action at Wembley Arena on the Matchroom Boxing bill which features fellow Leeds star Hopey Price
Josh Warrington vs Mauricio Lara
Josh Warrington returns to the ring this evening after 16 months out when he faces Mexican Mauricio Lara over 12 rounds at Wembley Arena.
The Leeds Warrior has not fought since his stoppage of Sofiane Takoucht at the First Direct Arena in Leeds back in October 2019.
Under the Matchroom Sport umbrella once again, the undefeated 30-year-old featherweight will hope for a good work out but ultimately a comfortable evening in London as bids to set up a mega fight later this year.